Daddy's Little Cherry Blossom
by BirdHummingAlong
Summary: A/U Set in a world of magic, Kagome is a spunky child whose sunny life is suddenly shadowed by grief and loss. Unexpectedly, she finds her comfort in a golden eyed puppy plush, left for her on her birthday, that can turn into a-wait did I get this right Kagome? The puppy turns into what now? Excuse me? I will not shut up! So rude. What? Oh I get it!-oh right, sorry. No Spoilers!
1. Chap 1 Intro, Flowers and Magic

**Authors note:** StandArd! Disclaimer…

So those who have read this one shot before are probably all like… "what…eh…no…WAIT! where is the rest of the story!? GIVE IT BACK YOU INDIAN GIVER—" and I shall cut you all off there because, well that is just a very offensive thing to say. Shame on you. And, it's still there ya twit, just in later chapters. I am re-writing/editing this story. Or sprucing it up if you will. Instead of one shot, it shall have chapters, multiple chapters. And it shall continue on past where I left it. In other words, hello! Story Daddy's Little Cherry Blossom continues! Yay? And it's better than ever people! Or so I hope.

**Intro, Flowers and Magic**

**O.O**

Desire and laughter flowed like a stream of light around the little girl as she bunched herself into a little ball and jumped at the pet shop window pane. Her hand whacked it, and some of the kittens on a close shelf scattered away. With glinting eyes, they regarded her wearily from a scratching post they had taken refuge behind. She didn't notice them though, she was more of a dog kind of girl.

"That one daddy! Can I pleaaaase have that one! Oh it's so cute!" She cried, trembling with excitement and joy. Overcome by her need to pet and cuddle the tiny thing. " I want to hold it so bad—!" Her cries were cut short when she heard mighty laugh and felt her little body gently being gently swept into two big strong arms. She hardly had time to protest, "Daddy!N-" as she was hugged so tight words escaped her.

The air was chill, but her daddy's arms were warm and comfortable. She snuggled in easily and gasped when she looked up and found herself face to face with the sweet, little, white German Sheppard she had been trying to reach. She beamed as she felt an excited jolt from the sudden proximity. She tested the frost pane with a tap of her finger tip. She frowned at the obstacle, the puppy seemed too far away when there was cold glass between.

She looked adoringly back up at her dad, "please dad," she begged her case, "I really, really want to hold that one. How about we go inside…" She suggested in a whisper as she traced its angelic, sleeping form. Small, white, and fluffy, just like how she thought a snow ball would feel before she touched it and realized that it was actually cold and hard. "Pretty please," then she locked her big, expressive eyes on his.

Akio smiled indulgently as he answered in a nonchalant lilt, "Not today Kagome!"

Her look of shock and brimming tears, hardly surprised him.

She was so precious, and really quite the puller of heart strings. But ohoho, no way could he let her into that pet shop. If he let her walk in to pet one puppy, they would be coming home with three. And this was experience talking, not his wild imagination. That one time Kagome and her mother had come home with three furry 'surprises' from what was supposed to be a 'short and thrifty' mall trip, was still fresh and painful in his mind. _Never again!_

He didn't want to let her fixating on that puppy. Not with the surprise he had planned for her up coming birthday. Speaking of surprises, he especially needed to hasten their exit, because of some characters, he'd rather not reveal to Kagome, he could feel approaching him for a surprise visit. But he had some time, they were near, not close yet. So, now he had to determine the best way to get out of this without heart breaking tears…while avoiding ambush.

He knew that many parents would quote psychological strategies from some high end child rearing books, with faith as though they were quoting scripture from the bible or the Koran. But Akio new in truth that sometimes five year olds' were simply just kids in need of a little distraction. Magical distraction, his eye's gleamed. A little spark of magic might also warn away his visitors.

Kagome blinked when twinkling blue eyes slanted her way, and a deeper blue energy sparked from Akio's finger, gathering a small wind around his daughter, curling small wisps of her hair into tiny flying ringlets, and tickling her chin.

She giggled at the sensation, and dropped her gaze from the window to look curiously back and forth from her father's glowing finger to his eyes.

Perceiving his intent, Kagome hummed curiously, "will you do a pretty cloud show for me?" She asked, even though she already knew what even the most meager stirring of her father's winds usually led to. She thought she could hear wind chimes benefiting from her fathers winds in the distance.

He grinned at her and tilted his hand to the side as though inviting her to see for herself whether or not there would be a 'pretty cloud show' coming anytime soon. The tiny warm wind first began caressing her cheeks and then plummeted down to the side walk in one smooth sweep, growing as it began picking up the freshly fallen autumn leaves of orange, yellow, and red, and twirling them in a colorful cyclone around the pair. "well…I could do a cloud show" he finally replied.

Looking more aloof he added, "or maybe a splash show—"he flicked his finger towards a fountain across the street, splashing the water up as he carefully crossed the street to get closer to it. Kagome turned her head fast as a whip to watch the water fall down into fading shapes of mist, completely missing the triumphant smile lift her father's lips. _Success for operation distract!_

He continued on down that street, closer and closer to where he had parked"…or how about a smoke show?" he suggested amiably.

Kagome clapped her hands to signal her favor of this idea, "A smoke show is perfect!" she agreed, shuffling around excitedly in his arms. "Could you use colored smoke this time?" She asked.

He hooted his agreement, feeling distinctly in that moment how much he loved her and the sweet little ideas her imagination came up with. Where on earth had she gotten the idea for colored smoke from anyway? If he knew her well enough, it was the little old medicine man in that movie _Pocahontas _they had watched the other night_._ He knew that Disney movie was trouble, next thing he knew she would be climbing barefoot over rocks and up trees, proclaiming her undying love for mother earth and John Smith to the world. Except, well, she already did all of that, sans the John Smith confessions of love part—yet. He chuckled to himself, alright, so he loved that about her...and he love the movie _Pocahontas. _He stopped just then when he spotted a little something, small, pink, and simple, encased deep in auburn foliage up the path.

He sent a wind current, similar to that of a boomerang, spinning towards it. It came back with a tiny pink flower, slowing gently as it neared his daughter. Kagome's eyes crossed. He nearly burst out laughing she looked so ridiculous and silly, Akio loved it. She was a cute and utter crack up as she continued to stock its path with those crossed eyes as it zigzagged, landing softly right above her ear.

When it landed she gave him a winning smile of pure joy. The sight of it sent his heart beating faster with fatherly pride of her love for the simple and little things in life. She carefully reached out to put the flower in the palm of her hand where she gently stroked the delicate petals. She'd never dare bruise her favorite flower, the cherry blossom. She was such a gentle girl.

"Hey dad…" she said after a natural pause.

He paused in the middle of buckling her into the car,"Yes darling?"

"Do you think the puppy will like the colored smoke show too?" She asked eagerly, with an innocent smile as she fondled the flower.

_Crap_. "Umm…" He began, when he noticed her smile suddenly faltered into a frown as she looked down at her hands.

"Oh no, I tore a petal!" She then started tearing up as her voice raised to frantic, ear traumatizing decimals, " Oh no, oh no, oh no! How do I fix it? Daddy, I can't fix it—"

"Calm down Kagome! It's just a flower!"

**O.O**

**A/N: Thanks for reading love. And don't worry, everything gets way less romanticized in the next chapters. I just can never help myself in the first hehe. **


	2. Chap 2, Smokey Tickets

**Daddy's Little Cherry Blossom**

**Standard Disclaimer: **I am not Rumiko Takahashi, and thus, neither is my work. Isn't that just sad?

**Authors note: **If any confusion arises people, just remember this is a fanfic set in a world of a more western sort of magic, not just solely Japanese folk lore sort of magic. So keep an open mind ;)

**Chapter two, Smokey Tickets and Taunting Machines  
**

**O.O**

Tickets! So many beautiful, prize winning, pink tickets! Just, if only that beautiful fountain of tickets were flowing, like a sparkly stream of pink bubble gum, out of her whack amole machine instead of that careless white haired boys' basketball machine. Her eyes narrowed at him, he wasn't even trying hard. Kagome scowled at the boy, who remained oblivious to her and her ticketless plight as he danced around like a monkey taunting her with his lush armfuls of tickets! He was so undeserving, it was unfair!

She turned her scowl back to her measly two tickets. Kagome wasn't normally a girl of too much envy or greed, usually she only had just a healthy smidge to mark her as human. However, Kagome knew what those tickets could get her, she just wasn't sure if hard work would get her what she wanted at this place. It was her first time outside of the playground at Chucky Cheeses Please'us, and the worth of those tickets, once she'd learned what they could buy, was just so overwhelming it gave her shivers. Or maybe it was just the overzealous air conditioning vent she was standing under that was doing that…

Anyways, the overwhelming ratio of her ticket winnings to that boy made her feel subject to a rigged system. She analyzed his machine as the boy casually tossed another ball in and didn't even rejoice as it spewed tickets into his propped and ready bucket. Maybe his game gave more tickets than hers, or was easier. Maybe the basketball machine was where it was at. It was worth a try, after all what was her sack full of coins worth when all she got was two tickets, an empty bucket, and a robotic droning of _ "wah wa waaa, what were you aiming for, the sky?"_ From that stupid whack amole game.

She walked up to the basketball machine next to the boy's and his mountain of tickets and picked up a basketball. She gave it a little toss to her other hand and found it to be quite light. _Not bad at all._ It looked like things were looking up for her if all she had to do was get it over the net and into one of the three baskets. No problem, her father had always assured her of her having a great arm whenever they played, 'who can pick up the most toys off the ground and toss them into the closet before mommy gets home?'. She gave a throw with her good arm and…what was this craziness? The ball flew strait _into_ the net she had aimed to get it _over_! _Yaaargh, how frustrating!_

"_Ooh, nice one Koby, can I get your autograph?"_

Kagome ignored the machine with a wave and tried to puzzle out what went wrong. _Wrong ball, wrong position, or wrong throw?_ Reaching for anther ball, she decided to go with wrong throw. The only the only thing to try again, but this time with two arms. Two was always stronger than one right? At least that's what her father always told her.

She held the ball between two hands this time, lowered it down between her legs and threw it up. "Yes!" she cheered as she watched it sail over the net…and scowling miserably when the ball suddenly dropped, one inch away from the first basket. However it wasn't her failure, but the hysteric laughter coming to her right made her neck burn as the machine taunted, _"whaaa wa waaa, how about growing another ten inches before trying again shorty!"._

Ignoring the machine she turned to see the golden eyed smirky boy at the machine next to hers hunched over laughing… her! That-Was-Not-Nice! Her fury, at his blatant guffaws at her expense, could not be contained. She marched over and held her hand out to him her most withering _you're in big trouble mister_ face that she had learned from her mother.

"My turn." She demanded, tacking on a quick, "Please."

The boys jaw dropped as fast as his laughing smirk did. "wha-what? But I'm still playing!" He protested incredulously as his machine taunted him hollowly in the background, _"Hey you nutter bet you can't score another nana na nanana-"_

"Shut the hell up!" the boy barked at the machine, making Kagome jump at the loudness. She froze with a disapproving as it struck her just what kind of naughty language he had used. Crossing her arms, she waited patiently for him to turn back and acknowledge her look of disapproval.

When his eyes finally shot back to her, she found that they looked slightly shocked and annoyed that she was still standing there. Had he expected her to just wander away? She wondered with wide eyes as he spoke to her again. "You have your own machine over there, why don't you just play on yours and leave _me _the hell alone?" he suggested, tapping an ireful claw on a crossed arm.

Kagome looked down, suddenly realizing just how rude and forward she was being. It wasn't nice to take without permission, she knew that. Why _didn't _she just leave him alone? What had gotten into her? Perhaps it was because he was making her feel intimidated and embarrassed. She didn't like those feelings. And she wasn't just about to let him or anyone else scare her off, not this Kagome! This Kagome was brave. She finally responded tightly, standing her ground. "Because, mines defective!"

Her cheeks lit again with fire embarrassment and anger, because, because the boy was _laughing_ at her, _laughing!_ In fact he was in belly holding hysterics, again!

"What is so funny!" she screeched at him whilst clenching her fists, her voice unintentionally tense and higher pitched than usual in her outrage. Which, to her frustration, only seemed to make him laugh even harder. "It's not funny!" She protested angrily.

Eventually he regained composer, but by this time Kagome was close to tears, and he could tell. He gulped, feeling very uncomfortable. He wasn't really sure what he would do if she actually started crying, he always froze up when that happened. And such things as girls crying because of him may have happened often. He hated it, tears were a sign of weakness, stupid week girls and their tears! Now agitated by and slightly terrified of her growing tears, he blurted, "It-it's not the machine! You throw like my grandma!"

Her wide eyes and the machine backing him up with a, "_damn strait son!" _did not help his pending anxiety. "Shut up!" he snapped back at the machine. He wished the girl would go away, she was stupid, annoying, and giving him a headache! And so was the machine, _that damn machine, if it isn't going to be helpful, it could,_ "just shut the hell up!" He roared.

_"Sheesh" _the machinehinged reproachfully, but Inuyasha wasn't paying attention to it anymore. He was too busy gauging Kagome's wide eyes with annoyed anticipation. She had been about to say something to him, and he could have sworn that there was a great possibility that she might have taken his, 'shut the hell up' more personally than it was intended. He realized, sooner than he desired, that he was right as a growl he didn't know humans could imitate rose in the back of her throat. That was when he watched, like a deer caught in the headlights, the furry break through her delicate, girl features. He was a boy of instinct, and his instinct told him that it was the start of all hell breaking loose, mainly his own hell.

_Abort mission_, was just about the only thought occurred to him as he gulped in the minor second that she sprung closer, invading his _very_ personal space. "You take that back you liar!" She shouted, her tears turning from embarrassment to anger. "It _is_ the machine, I have a GREAT throw!" _Why am I picking a fight with him?_

The boy bristled from the unjust accusation, how dare she come into his space and call him that? His golden eyes glowed threateningly as he bit back, "Yeah, and I'm a princess with a sparkly tiara! You shoot like an old hag, deal with it prissy brat!" He was _not_ a liar!

He was about to turn his back on her, but by this point a red faced and enraged Kagome had yanked a basketball out of the machine and smashed it into his face, knocking him back, "Does your Grandma throw like that, stupid!?" she shrieked, overcome by rage.

_"Fight! Fight! Fight!" _the machines chanted in a quiet droning in the back ground. But for a moment it was all white noise to Inuyasha, as though a bubble of silence and tension had suddenly surrounded them. And then, just as suddenly as it had surrounded them, the bubble popped as both children screamed, "YARGH!" in simultaneous fury and the world crashed back in and they slammed together and wrestled, fought and knocked the remaining ball into each other. They were still thrashing about when for the third time Kagome wrestled back the ball, sweaty, panting, and slightly dirty from where they had fallen to the ground, she threw it straight towards Inuyasha's basketball machine.

And then the bubble was back as both children stilled and sat there in dull silence as they watched the ball, as if in slow motion, fly like a beautiful orange crane into the highest basket. Surprising them both. The bubble popped again as victory music blasted from the machine and tickets began spewing out.

"_Damn kids, I'm bleeding, bleeding out bob! Bleeding out!_" Cried the boy's machine frantically.

_"Sweet Jahosaphet! Don't die on me Bill, I told you the girls weren't allowed to win today!" _Kagome's machine cried in a panic and scolded.

_"I'm sorry, she caught me off guard, and you know I'm weak for the onyx haired ones! It's getting so dark and cold!" _The boy's machine wailed pitifully.

_"Don't go towards the light Bill!"_

_"Ughnn, but the light is so warm…and peaceful. Sing me a lullaby please, I think I'm ready to go."_

_"Oh, just shut up Bill, you'll regenerate tickets in an hour. I'm going to go take a smoke break. Bye."_

The machine disappeared with_ Poof!_

_"Wait, don't leave me Bob! I love-"_

The children burst into pleased hysterics and started gathering up the swath of tickets together... Until Inuyasha noticed from the corner of his eye that Kagome had stopped and was staring inquiringly at him. He met her pulling, hazel gaze just as she asked, "What's your name?"

"Takahashi Inuyasha," the boy revealed without even thinking.

Kagome beamed in response, "I'm Higurashi Kagome, it's nice to meet you."

Inuyasha nearly dropped his bucket right then and there as it suddenly occurred to him to notice that she was kind of pretty when she smiled. He regained his composure by quickly, covering his daze, "Whatever slow poke, just get those tickets before they turn into smoke!" He commanded, as gruffly as he could. Hoping she would assume is cheeks had suddenly turned red from exertion, or just wouldn't notice them.

Kagome's smile slid slowly away as she took a startled glance at the remainder of tickets crisping slightly on the edges, "Oh no, you're right! Quick into the bucket! "

_Score! She didn't notice. _

**O.O**

**Authors note: Oh look, hey, I'm writing again! Whippee?**


	3. Chap 3, Partners in Crime

**Daddy's Little Cherry Blossom**

**Standard Disclaimer**

**Authors note: **Thank you to my three lovely reviewers for this chapter, HobbitHorcruxOf221B, Tigra22 and Guest. ;) you guys made my day!

**Chapter three, Partners in Crime**

**O.O**

A little while later…

"Woah!Woah!"

Inuyasha dug his heals in and braced his back, "Are you falling?" he asked slightly panicked. "Tell me right now!" he half shouted half whispered up at the girl balanced precariously on his shoulders.

"Shhhshh," She chided, her forehead wrinkling in concentration. "I am _not_ falling!" She assured him as she swayed alarmingly.

"It doesn't _feel _like your _not_ falling!" He accused.

Once she regained her balance she clarified for him. "It was just that an ink spider got _really_ close to me. I'd so get a time out if I came back with a splotch…again." She huffed, wiping damp bangs back from her sweating forehead.

"I don't get time outs," Inuyasha interjected haughtily.

At her skeptical response of, "what?" He simpered with a glower,

"I get 'consequences'..."

Kagome snorted, almost loosing her balance again. "I'm fine!" She reassured when she felt a protest might be rising in his throat, "Just, hand me a ball!" She commanded, excitement lacing her voice softly. She really wanted to get this done quick before the machine noticed them.

There was the sound of rustling and a growl of frustration as a heavy ball made a loud smack on the floor. Inuyasha's unsteady voice carried up to her. " I-I can't!"

"Oh no, " She tisked, "I thought you were stronger than most boys and could do it, but If you can't..." She trailed off, hoping to rile the boy into action.

Perceiving her challenge, fire bloomed in his chest. After a moment of determined struggle, Kagome felt herself dip slowly and then rise back up. Inuyasha's chest puffed proudly as he managed to reach an unsteady arm up with the ball. Kagome snatched it, momentarily paying admiration to his strength.

"Wow Inuyasha!" She praised, earning herself a cheeky grin, she didn't get to see. Then, feeling very satisfied with their teamwork, she turned back to the machine and threw the ball straight into the Boom Breaker machines 100th point slot and waited…

"_Victory!" _The machine cried suddenly, sounding half surprised itself as music blasted from its speakers. Only a second later having the mind to reproach them wrathfully_ "Damn you cheaters! Ugh, I'm bleeding out!"_

Laughter bubbled delightfully from the partners in crime as Kagome hopped off of Inuyasha's shoulders and together they ran to where the tickets were spilling out of the machine. She was having so much fun; she could feel the thrill shivering from her finger tips to her toes. She felt exhilarated, like together she and Inuyasha could do anything. If the machines were cheating them, no need to cry or give up! It didn't even matter because together they would figure out how to beat the game anyway! They were unstoppable! And the best thing was that the power wasn't even getting to her head.

"We are UNSTOPABLE Inuyasha! Mwhahaha!" Kagome announced with a fiery guffaw, as laughter spieled maniacally from her little frame.

Inuyasha's head swiveled, "Huh?"

…Actually, the power may have been getting to Kagome's head, just a little bit.

"Noth-ing!" she sang flippantly, flouncing gaily ahead of him in search of new gaming prospects. She pointed eagerly towards the first game in her line of sight. "How about we play that game over there, the one where you have to stamp your hand down when the color you want lights up?"

"Bo-ring!" He returned in a flat singsong, mimicking her suddenly overbearing perkiness. He caught her questioning glare with a teasing smirk.

After a moment of confident assessment, she rolled her eyes at what she decided was a lame attempt to annoy her and graced him only with an indignant, "hmmph." Mostly she just ignored him as she dug deeper for ideas.

"Okay, well how about…" Kagome's sentence dropped off suddenly as her words were whisked away by a brilliant distraction of mish-mashing colors, delightfully slippery slides, and mysteriously hidden hideaways rising up before her.

She realized, abruptly, that through their wanderings they had somehow managed to make their way over to the playground. She sighed dreamily as her eyes zoned in on a child, in a fit of giggles, shooting like a dazzling rocket out of one of the slides. She knew it was just for little kiddies, but that slide had just so many twisties and turns. She kind of missed playing on it…

"Why'd ya stop?"

"Huh?" Kagome blinked in surprise, she was so caught up in the vision that was the playground that she hadn't even realized she'd stopped until he spoke, patiently reminding her of his presence. She met his bewildered gaze, and found herself coloring as she replied hastily, "no reason. It's nothing." She looked away quickly, praying he wouldn't read her.

Inuyasha wasn't buying it. He happened to have it on great authority that it was _never_ nothing with girls, or so his father had always professed at the dinner table, with sure conviction, as his mother would huff and look on in mild annoyance. He followed Kagome's line of sight, trying to puzzle out what had stolen her attention. It looked like she was staring an awful lot at the…oh.

"Did you want to play on the playground?" he asked her incredulously.

The girl actually looked bashful for once as she reddened further and blurted, "What? No, the playground is for babies." She paused abruptly, meeting his eyes tentatively, "why, do you?" She asked, a tinge of hope threading her voice sound with softness.

"No!" he exclaimed thrusting his chin out defiantly. Without another word he grasped her hand in a strong, determined grip and pulled her dazzled form into the nearest playground tunnel. Shocked, but also pleased, she allowed him.

**O.O**

The first playground tunnel led into a room of twisted, large and small cylinders. When the kids tested them out, they found that some made musical sounds when they blew into them, while others made dull random sounds, and some just disappeared if you blew too hard. They found this last bit out the hard way as both children stretched onto their tippy toes and attempted to blow as hard into the rim of this one tall cylinder that was defying them with its silence. Suddenly, at one especially big breath from Inuyasha, it disappeared with a pop, and both kids cried out in pain as they bonked heads.

"Fuck, Ow!" Inuyasha cried, pulling his hand up to touch his reddening forehead. He paused uncertainly when he glanced over to check on Kagome and noticed that her face was all wrinkled up like she'd just bitten a sour lemon. "What?" He asked, watching her warily. He didn't think it was a very good look for her.

She regarded him shrewdly "You have a foul mouth!" She exclaimed. Immediately regretting her words she shied away from his rapidly widening eyes, weather they were widened by anger or offense, she couldn't really tell. However, fearing she had offended him, she quickly defended with, "Well, that's what my mother says!"

She felt very relieved when he smiled at her and replied with a quiet laugh and red cheeks, "That's what my mom says too!"

""You shouldn't talk like that..." Kagome was admonishing him when she stopped as she noticed Inuyasha had suddenly perk up looking really alert. It kind of reminded her of a meerkat she saw on the Discovery Channel, and she almost laughed at the silly picture except his next words were, "I have to go."

"What?" She asked, mildly surprised. She began snooping about as though his reason for suddenly leaving her was hiding around, maybe inside one of the tinkler pipes? " But why?" She continued uncertainly, deflating when she found nothing. Maybe she was the real reason he had to go? Perhaps he had tired of her or was mad at her…

"My mom is calling" He replied solemnly and she whirled looking up at him, she cocked her head, attempting to hear a motherly voice call his name... But all Kagome could hear was the dull buzz of the flock of children playing and parents gossiping, "I can't hear anything." She announced, dazed.

Inuyasha looked puzzled. He frowned questioningly at her. But then his eyes snapped to her ears and some sparkling idea seemed to hit him. He smiled at her and began reaching towards a red hat, she hadn't even realized he was wearing before. It looked like he was starting to lift it up when he froze and looked with concern back in the direction, she assumed he was magically hearing his mom call to him from. He looked regretfully back at Kagome and managed a quick, "Sorry, but I really have to go," before scurrying off with a wave. His call "See you Kagome!" faintly reaching her bewildered ears as he dissapeared from her line of sight.

"See you Inuyasha," she echoed sadly. Luckily she wasn't left too long to wallow in her grief. Her mother soon appeared, regarding her softly from a window above her in the playground tunnel.

"Kagome? Is this were you've been all this time?" Her mother's comfortingly bubbly voice reached her ears from somewhere above. And Kagome looked up with a delighted cry as though it were the sun that was smiling down at her from the window above.

"Mommy!"

"Hello there darling," her mother responded in kind, with a smile, reaching down to pet Kagome's raven haired head. "Are you ready to go now?" She asked.

"Yes!" Kagome confirmed, reaching for her ticket bucket…only to find that she had two. "Oh no!" She gasped, quickly realizing that her friend Inuyasha had left his behind. She grabbed the bucket and ran out of the playground and into her mother's arms.

"Mom! I have to go quick and find my friend, he accidentally left his tickets with me!" she cried anxiously, her heart whirling at miles per minute.

"I, uh, Okay!" Was all her mother could manage brightly before Kagome ran off.

By the next time Kagome's mother found her, she was in a puddle of tears on the floor. "Waaa." Kagome extended her arms, begging for a lift, to her mom as soon as she felt her presence. Tears were streaming a gentle typhoon down her red and snotty face. _Uh oh_, that meant she had been crying for quite some time, her mother remarked inwardly.

Immediately Mrs. Higurashi fell to her knees and took her daughter into her arms. "What is it darling?" She asked with concern, hugging her closer, wishing she could cuddle away all the pain in the world.

"I couldn't find him!" Her distraught daughter wailed.

Mrs. Higurashi looked down at the evidence of this in the two buckets by her daughter's side, she rubbed her daughters back soothing. "It's okay Kagome, he must have left already, but that doesn't mean we can't get him his bucket back."

Kagome sniffed at this news and looked hopefully up at her mother, "It doesn't?"

"No sweety, we'll just have to keep the bucket in safe keeping at home. We come here often, we can just return it to him when we see him again."

"You really think I'll see him again?"

Her mother tapped her daughters tender nose softly, "I don't think, I _know_ you will." At her daughter's skeptical look she challenged with a raised brow, "when has mommy intuition ever been wrong?"

_Never._ Kagome sighed with relief, collapsing further into her mother's arms. "I want to go home now, please." She announced in a very sleepy voice.

"Alright sweety," her mother agreed picking her up. She approached a nearby table and plucked up a napkin." let's just give your face a quick wipe first."

Kagome groaned, hiding her face harder against her mother, "Unghhh" she protested.

"But honey the snot!" Her mother retorted brightly, dipping the cloth in a cup of water and getting strait to business.

**O.O**

**Authors note:** Enough cuteness! Prepare yourselves for tragedy.


	4. Chap 4, Rubble

**O.O**

**Authors note**: BIG Thank you to Guest reviewer, you know who you are! I loved the theatrical whimper, very chilling ;)

Also, for future reference in this chapter, the flower Hydrangea symbolizes perseverance. You'll get it when you get there.

**Insert Standard Disclaimer Here:**

**Chapter Four, Rubble**

**O.O**

Kagome snuggled down and relaxed into her car seat. Letting her head lull to the side, she watched the road stretch by. It gave her a serene sort of feeling, watching the green of grass and grey cement blur at the seams into one. It was so familiar and comforting. She would have let the rhythm of the road rock her to sleep if hadn't been for the sudden, insistent beeping emitting shrilly from her mother's cell phone. Her mother picked up.

"Hello, Higurashi Kaiko speaking!"

When her mother answered, her usual perky greeting, Kagome was ready to fall back into sleeps welcoming arms, but soon she could tell things were very wrong. Her mother wasn't jabbering happily into the phone like usual, in fact, she wasn't speaking at all.

The silence was was cold and the girl shivered uncomfortably as she glanced inquiringly at the back of her mother's head. Mrs. Higurashi hadn't hung up like she had thought maybe she had, the phone was still caught between the eerily quiet woman's hand and ear. The silence continued as Kagome watched the back of her mother's head more intently, she could hear the buzz of someone talking on the other end, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. She was just about to ask if she was talking to daddy when was Kagome realized her mother's hand was shaking. Startled and slightly alarmed, she strained in her seat and looked up to the review mirror for a glimpse of a face that with one glance could tell her everything was alright. She gasped when her eyes glimpsed, through the glass, a furrowed brow and red eyes, and tear glistened cheeks. Horror drained her of all speech. Just then her mother spoke, but not to reassure her.

Mrs. Higurashi's voice quivered as she struggled to reply calmly, so as not to alarm her daughter. "Yes, I'm coming right away."

Kagome jumped in her seat when her mother slammed the phone shut. Grasping the wheel in both hands Kaiko Higurashi swerved the car. A few protesting honks carried over from mildly frustrated drivers behind them. Kagome's eyes widened in awe as her mother switched lanes faster than she had ever seen in her life, but she didn't dare find it fun as she watched mounding terror creep into her mother's steady gaze. She knew it wasn't the rising speed and veering cars as she exited the freeway that put such a rare emotion in her mothers eyes.

**O.O**

When they arrived, her home was shrouded in smoke and flame. But the first things Kagome noticed weren't the house and flames, they were too hard to see through the smoke, what she first noticed were out of place siren wails, shiny police cars, red fire engines, and uniformed men surrounding her normally quiet home. She gawked, dread making her stomach feel sick.

The car screeched as her mother pulled up to a hasty stop. There was the sharp click of her mother unbuckling. Then the sound of a car door slamming as Mrs. Higurashi flew out the door. She jogged up to a police man who was already running to meet her.

In the smoky confusion, Kagome pressed her ear up to the window and strained to listen. After a few words were exchanged, Kaiko Higurashi appeared to fold beneath herself. The words, "Akio, he didn't make it out." Carried their way over to her frightened eavesdropper, where, upon hearing the news, a ping like a broken cord resounded somewhere deep inside her daughters core.

Heart beating rapidly, Kagome snapped.

**O.O**

Her breath came in short pants as she raced past the uniformed men who watched her path with wide eyed shock. Water splashed her face, but she hardly noticed as she burst into the slowly receding cloud of smoke and steam. Behind her she could hear her mother's scream and shouts of alarm. Charred wood snagged at her clothes, but she hardly let that slow down her pace. She tripped, with a sharp cry she held out her arms, but still skidded on dirt and ashes.

Dragging her self up to her knees, she screeched in frustration when she realized, through the haze, that could go no further on foot. Her path was blocked by charred beams and rubble, but she wasn't ready to stop fighting. She dug her bare hands into the steaming, sharp rubble, scraping them as she flung debris and scratched with raw nails. With tears wet as the steam and just as hot streaming down her face. She was determined to scrape and scratch her way to him at all costs.

Arms grabbed her then, tearing her away from where she needed to be most. She fought them, with kicks and screams, they could give up, but she couldn't. No, correction, she _wouldn't_. More determined she decked her captor with an over passing tree branch to where he had dragged her. She bounced free when he released her with a surprised grunt of pain. She ran back to the wreckage, tiny blue hydrangeas sprouting mysteriously in the little footprints left in her wake.

"Daddy!" She screamed frantically, letting loose a hacking cough and diving back into the smoke. But all was in ashes, the fire had already been put out everywhere except for one lone section, barely standing under its burden of smoldering flames. She reached out, drawn to it like one of her fathers enchantments. She stumbled, and it cleared her mind. After sorting her feet out, she looked back up at the last of the fire. Resolution revived, she picked up her pace anew, climbing over the rubble.

A Hand grabbed her wrist and pulled. Outraged that someone was trying to stop her again, she tried to shoulder them off. Ivy grew threateningly from her hand up her captors wrist as she struggled, with wracking sobs, to trudge forward. With an almost irritated flick she was flung back around. Time slowed for her as the ends of long, white silver hair grazed her cheek as she was turned around. Startled, she looked up and met a face marked proudly by a crescent moon and graced with golden eyes. For a moment it felt like she was surrounded by fresh mist instead of the suffocating smoke she had been in for too long. She thought she could hear wind chimes in the distance.

Kagome blinked and time flew back to its fast, wing tipped pace. And she found herself staring up into the face of a normal, brunette and haggard looking fireman. Taking advantage of her momentary stupor, the fireman scooped her up and ran.

The world refocused as she was brought out of the smoke and rubble and secured back into her mother's arms. The woman collapsed around her ash and scrape covered daughter, sobbing."I'm so sorry, I should have locked the car door. Oh, my baby!"

"Let me go!" Kagome growled and struggled in her mother's arms. _He's still in there…_She told herself. She _had_ to get back before it was too late!_  
_

There was a groaning sound and the rest of Kagome's house collapsed in one last burst of flames behind her. Warm wind whistled past them with the fall, gently rustling her, and her mother's hair in its flee. At feeling it Kagome froze in her struggles, her body stiff in its fight to still believe that he was alive and not be sweptback by the evidence that he was gone. Finally, with a mournful cry she let herself be swept away by grief. She fell limp with defeat, feeling so small, though her loss was huge.

**O.O**

**Authors note: **whooo, what an emotional roller coaster… man, that Kagome is just like sooo dramatic, am I right? *Kagome throws punch* Ouch! Ooh right, just lost her dad, yeah maybe not the best time to joke.


End file.
